Penn State meteorology researchers work with NASA to measure air pollution

While NASA aircraft were circling the skies in the San Joaquin Valley in January and February measuring air pollution, a Penn State team was on the ground making sure the numbers added up.

On some days, the mountains trapped enough of the pollution that the researchers were there to measure that they couldn’t see the mountains from the foothills of the Sierra Nevada. That may sound like a place to avoid on days when the air quality index climbs into the unhealthy zones. But, the Penn State Meteorology team is seeking those hot spots out as part of a five-year study to improve NASA’s ability to monitor air quality from satellites.